Spiced Basmati Rice with Carrots and Peas Recipe

This is a super easy recipe and packed with yummy veggies.  The colors and unique spices are paired perfectly with fall.  

1 1/2 cups of basmati rice (soaked for at least 30 minutes)

3 tablespoons of olive oil

1/2 yellow onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 carrots, chopped 

1 pinch of cinnamon

1 pinch of ground cloves

1 steam-able bag of frozen peas

Salt and Pepper to Taste

1.  In a pot, heat extra virgin olive oil and saute the garlic and onion for about 3 minutes or until soft.

2.  Add the rice and stir until the olive oil is fully coated.  Add the carrots and 2 1/2 cups of water.  Cover pot and simmer under medium heat.  If you are using frozen peas use about a 1-1 1/2 cups and toss them in the pot.  If not steam the peas according to the package directions.  Simmer for about 15 minutes, covered.

3.  Once rice is tender remove from heat.  Add the green peas, if steaming in the microwave and then serve. 

Hot and Salty Pumpkin Seeds Recipe

Yay!  Another pumpkin seed recipe.  I still had a bunch of pumpkin seeds to do something with after my sister came to visit for the week and we decided to carve pumpkins!  These pumpkins are simple, but perfect if you are craving a healthy alternative to something salty.  

3 Cups of Pumpkin Seeds, washed 

3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon (or more to taste) of season all salt

Freshly ground pepper to taste

Several dashes of hot sauce (I used Texas Pete)

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Take a spoon and scrape out the pumpkin seeds into a bowl.  Separate the seeds from the stringy pumpkin innards. Rinse seeds in a colander.  Place pumpkin seeds back into a bowl. 

2.  Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over the seeds.  Add the above ingredients to the bowl and then toss until everything is evenly distributed. 

3.  Add wax paper to your cookie sheet and then spread the seeds out on the pan in an even layer.  Bake for about 45 minutes, stirring once every 15 minutes so the seeds do not stick.  

Spaghetti Squash with Italian Sweet Sausage, Fresh Tomatoes and Mushrooms Ragout Recipe

Oh man do I ever have a new obsession this fall with spaghetti squash.  This dish is wholesome, packed with lots of fresh ingredients including tomatoes, mushrooms and of course the bulk of it squash!  It's filled with earthy aromas of rosemary and chilies, yet guided by a sweet and acidity.  Shave off about an hour of your time by cooking the squash in the microwave.  You know I am down for anything that requires the majority of the cooking in the microwave.   For a vegetarian dish ditch the sausage and enjoy!  

1 spaghetti squash, cleaned and halved lengthwise

3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, roughly minced

2 links of Italian sweet sausage

1 very large tomato, diced

1 cup of sliced mushrooms

1 pinch of crushed rosemary

1 pinch of nutmeg

1 teaspoon of chili powder

1/4 teaspoon of chili pepper flakes

4 tablespoons of red wine vinegar

1 tablespoons brown sugar

5-8 leaves of basil shredded

1/4 cup of romano cheese (optional)

1.  Place 1/4 inch of water in a microwave safe dish and place squash in the dish, with cut sides down in the dish.   Cover with plastic wrap and then microwave on high for 13-15 minutes.

2.  While the squash is cooking,  heat a skillet.  Add the extra virgin olive oil, garlic and sausage for about 3-5 minutes under medium heat.  Now add the tomatoes, mushrooms, rosemary, nutmeg, chili powder, chili pepper flakes and cook for about 10 minutes or until the mixture starts to thicken.  Now add the remaining ingredients and cook for another 5 minutes.  Take the sausage out on a cutting board and slice thinly, add the meat back to the pan and stir.

3.  In a large bowl shred the squash  and then add about 1/2 cup of the water that the squash was cooked in stir carefully.  Add sausage and tomato mixture on top of the squash.  Top with additional romano cheese.    

Sweet and Smoky Pumpkin Seeds Recipe

Halloween is less than a week away and that means it's time to start carving pumpkins.  So bust out those cookie pans because it's time to roast some pumpkin seeds!  These seeds are my absolute favorite, they are sweet and smoky and ohhhhh so yummy.  Seriously I am addicted!  Oh, and learn from my mistakes and actually use the wax paper, if not have fun cleaning baked on brown sugar.  

3 Cups of Pumpkin Seeds, washed 

3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup of brown sugar ( I used Splenda Brown Sugar)

2 teaspoons of chili powder

1 pinch of nutmeg

Wax paper

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Take a spoon and scrape out the pumpkin seeds into a bowl.  Separate the seeds from the stringy pumpkin innards. Rinse seeds in a colander.  Place pumpkin seeds back into a bowl. 

2.  Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over the seeds.  Add the above ingredients to the bowl and then toss until everything is evenly distributed. 

3.  Add wax paper to your cookie sheet and then spread the seeds out on the pan in an even layer.  Bake for about 45 minutes, stirring once every 15 minutes so the seeds do not stick.  

Harvest Romaine Salad with Creamy Thyme Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe

So despite me refusing to believe that summer is over, I broke down and decided to start concocting a few recipes that create the perfect balance between warm temperatures and fall, starting to creep in.  Blame it on my latest trip to Panera, I got inspired after having one their newest salads.  Well, here is my spin on it!

2 heads of romaine lettuce

1 cucumber sliced

1/4 of dried cherries

1/4 cup of crumbled goat cheese

5 slices of bacon cooked until crumbled, and then crumbled

3 spoonfuls of chopped candied pecans

1.  In a bowl, add the lettuce, cucumbers, dried cherries, cheese, bacon and pecans.  Serve with my Creamy Thyme Balsamic Vinaigrette, recipe is as follows.  

Creamy Thyme Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe

1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 tablespoons of no fat mayo

1/4 teaspoon of ground mustard

1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder

3 sprigs of thyme, minced

Salt and Ground Pepper to Taste

2.  In a small bowl, add the above ingredients and whisk until fully combined.  Drizzle dressing on top of the salad and then serve!